Science Intent Statement

Science Subject Leader: Mrs Guest

Intent: What we aim for our children to achieve through our science curriculum.

At Durham Lane Primary School, we are proud to be holders of the Primary Science Quality Mark.

We have designed our science curriculum to develop a sense of excitement, curiosity and fascination about natural phenomena that will remain with our children for the rest of their lives. Through our teaching, we want our children to gain an understanding of scientific processes and an awareness of the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. From Nursery to Year 6, all of our pupils will build a foundation of key knowledge and concepts, as well as develop skills in scientific enquiry. We aim for scientific enquiry to form a common thread through the curriculum, helping children to understand that science is just as much about what they do as about what they know. At Durham Lane, we aim to maximise the opportunities for every child so that they are challenged to know more, remember more and understand more about science.

Implementation:  How we will achieve our aims.

Our principles of practice are that science at Durham Lane will be…Accessible and challenging – where every child engages and sees the relevance of science to themselves, their community and the wider world. Experienced through a broad and balanced curriculum which values knowledge and skills equally within a sequence of deliberately planned and progressive lessons. Taught as part of a whole school curriculum where science has context and meaning and links to other subjects. Taught within a learning environment where questions and curiosity are encouraged and inquisitive young scientists can flourish. Taught using lessons and activities that engage, challenge and deepen scientific learning. 

Where teachers build on prior learning and address misconceptions and where children frequently and actively participate in the planning and doing of practical work and scientific enquiry. 

Informed by timely and purposeful formative and summative assessment.

For an outline of topics featuring science objectives taught across Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, please refer to the curriculum planning on the website.

As a school, we aim to create an inquisitive learning environment within classrooms and reinforce an expectation that all children are capable of achieving.  Well thought out science lessons focus on thinking, discussing and trying things out thereby encouraging children to work confidently, creatively and independently as inquisitive young scientists.

Our progression of skills in science starts in Understanding the World in the Early Years and ends in Upper Key Stage 2. It progresses through the following areas of skill:

• Asking Questions & Planning Enquiries;
• Testing, Measuring & Recording;
• Concluding;
• Evaluating.

For an outline of topics featuring science objectives taught across Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2, please refer to the curriculum planning on the website.

We enrich our children’s lessons using outdoor learning, educational visits, expert science visitors, a STEM club, inter-school science days, scientific resources, books and the internet.  Science specific displays are put up in each class that showcase children’s work and highlight vocabulary.

We aim to encourage the children to become successful scientists by developing:

• A genuine fascination  in science and a real sense of curiosity about the world;
• An excellent knowledge and understanding  of key scientific concepts in biology, physics and chemistry;
• Progressive, specialist scientific vocabulary which is appropriate and accurate and which develops from EYFS to KS1 and through to KS2;
• Confidence in asking questions,  thinking of  ways to answer them and research skills;
• Independence, resilience and creativity in problem solving;
• Ability to plan and carry out different types of investigation;
• Ability to use scientific equipment appropriately and take accurate measurements;
• Application of science skills in different scenarios;
• Effective analysis of evidence , the ability to draw conclusions , explain reasons and evaluate; 
• Communication skills in order to record and present scientific ideas and understanding to a range of audiences.

Impact:  How we know we have achieved our aims.

Our high quality science curriculum is well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. Its impact is measured through a monitoring and evaluation cycle that informs both teaching and curriculum.  This includes…

• Establishing key questions for each science objective and comparing how pupils answer these questions at the start of the topic, with how they can answer them at the end. This allows us to see how much the children have understood and remembered and how much progress they have made.
• Summative assessment of pupils’ skills and knowledge (termly data is put on our Insight tracking system and is analysed by the subject leader);
• Images and videos of the children’s practical learning;
• Discussions with pupils about their learning of knowledge and skills.  This will also consider the extent to which pupils value science as a subject, recognise science roles in their community and see themselves as Scientists;
• Lesson observations and Science “book looks” looking  for evidence such as  progression, practical scientific enquiry, teaching of skills, links to STEM roles, opportunities for questioning and expressing ideas.  
• Annual reporting to parents about their child’s achievement and effort within science;
• Displays of children’s work are in classrooms and around school, celebrating learning and demonstrating progression across the school;
• We celebrate outstanding science by using stickers, stamps and through a “Scientist of the Year” award.